Reptilia - Testudines - Dermochelyidae
Registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9716672B-0706-4582-9C8D-A056E53324CC
Etymology: Zealosphargis is derived from Zealo-, referring to Zealandia, the continental landmass that includes present-day New Zealand, where the fossil was discovered; and -sphargis, from the Greek sphargis (), meaning leatherback turtle, used historically in generic names such as Sphargis Merrem, 1820 (junior synonym of Dermochelys Blainville, 1816), and Eosphargis Lydekker, 1889.
Full reference: A. D. Gentry, M. E. Burns, J. A. Ebersole, K. A. Gregson, E. C. Martinez and J. E. Parham. 2025. A new leatherback marine turtle from the lower Oligocene of North America and a phylogenetic nomenclature for Dermochelyidae. Palaeodiversity 18(1):127-149
Parent taxon: Uelocini according to A. D. Gentry et al. 2025
Sister taxa: Cardiochelys, Natemys, Ueloca
Subtaxa: Zealosphargis terrypratchetti
Ecology: aquatic durophage-piscivore
Distribution:
• Eocene of New Zealand (3 collections)
Total: 3 collections each including a single occurrence
Specimen images are retrieved through the ePANDDA API.
Click image to enlarge. Click to access iDigBio record.